Friday, Feb. 17, 2017 (Halifax, NS) – Please be advised that the municipal overnight winter parking ban will continue to be enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, to allow crews to continue with snow clearing and removal from streets and sidewalks.

Winter Operations crews continue to work around the clock to clear streets and sidewalks of close to 80 cm of snow accumulation received this week in the Halifax region. All available resources are deployed to widen and remove snow from streets in areas that have been significantly narrowed by snowbanks, and to open up priority catch basins.

A significant effort is also underway to remove snow from sidewalks that haven’t been yet been serviced. Although progress is being made by the hour, it is expected that it will take up to 10 days before sidewalks can be fully accessible in all areas, with a priority on those near schools, transit routes and commercial districts. The majority of bus stops have now been cleared of snow and this work will continue until completed. Please note that due to the exceptional weather event and associated conditions, Winter Operations service time lines will not be met.

It is very important that vehicles and any potential obstructions to snow clearing are removed from streets and sidewalk areas during winter operations clean-up to allow crews to properly clear snow and maintain vehicular and pedestrian travel ways.

Vehicles must be off municipal streets during the hours noted above. Residents are also reminded that in addition to the overnight parking ban, Section 139 of the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act states that tickets can be issued and vehicles can be towed any time, day or night, if they are parked in a manner that interferes with snow clearing.

To help ensure the streets are properly cleared, the municipality has enhanced its winter parking enforcement in areas around hospitals and schools, bus routes and problem streets for snow equipment and emergency vehicles.

Officers will also be ticketing vehicles obstructing sidewalk clearing. Vehicles hanging out of a driveway or parked on the sidewalk are prone to damage and become a dangerous obstacle for crews. Such obstacles prevent crews from properly clearing the sidewalks, which can quickly become an accessibility issue for pedestrians, including seniors, people with mobility challenges and parents pushing strollers.

Planters, lawn decorations and any other moveable objects near the sidewalk should be removed before the winter season. Items such as sports equipment, green bins and garbage should be safely stored when bad weather is in the forecast. Any permanent structures or objects too big to move should be marked with a reflector to assist crews with identifying potential obstacles.

The overnight winter parking ban is in effect from now until Mar. 31, 2017. The easiest way to stay informed is to sign up for automated notifications at www.halifax.ca/snow/parkingban/notifications.php, call 311 or email contact@halifax.ca. Subscribers will receive timely alerts by phone, email, and/or text message when the ban is in effect and again when it is lifted. Residents who received these notifications last winter will continue to receive the service this year. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Think before you park this winter – it will help make the season a little easier on everyone. For more information on municipal winter operations, please visit www.halifax.ca/snow.

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